Vietnam Discovery With Family in 11 Days

Welcome to Vietnam, upon arrival at Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport, you will be welcome by our representative holding a sign with your name and our company logo on it. Our representative will guide you through fast-track security and visa services. After obtaining your visa and collecting your luggage, will lead the way to your awaiting guide and driver. You will be privately transferred to your luxury accommodations by our professional driver and an English-speaking guide. Stay right in the heart of the city next to the central Hoan Kiem Lake, with the fascinating Old Quarter right at your fingertips, you can easily explore the city at your own pace.

Overnight in Ha Noi.

Highlight:

• Harvesting tea leaves on a traditional, 30-year-old Tea Plantation
• Cooking with a friendly local host
• Visiting local workshops in the village
• Cycling across the rice field and villages
• Traditional Foot Soak with herbs following the traditional recipes of Muong ethnic minority
• Boating on the Da River

10:00 – Visit the Tea Plantation in Ri Village. This is a green and peaceful place, where you will enjoy the beautiful scenery of the village. This Tea Plantation plays an important role in providing tea products for the whole north of Vietnam. You will have a chance to help a local family harvest tea leaves, and you be shown how to pick the best part of the tea tree to make the most wonderful beverage as Vietnam's traditional tea.

Mr. Duoc is a veteran of the Vietnam War and is the owner of a large tea farm. He is also an expert on handling raw tea leaves and he will show you the process required to provide an exceptional tea product. You will have a great time listening to Mr. Duoc’s stories about his life, and his experiences during the war. Then, you will enjoy some great tea along with green lentils or lotus seeds, also grown by his family.

11:15 – Driving about 10 minutes to visit another host family in Moc Village where you will enjoy a fun cooking class by Mrs. Chin. She will show you how to cook Vietnamese food, and you will have some time to enjoy lunch with the food you helped cook!

13:45 – After lunch, you have time to walk (or bicycle) around the village to explore the local culture and visit the local workshops. You can learn how to make tofu, make the traditional conical hat in Vietnam, unshell rice, and maybe see the workshop of a local worker who, for 70 years has made and fixed all the farming tools in the village.

15:00 – You enjoy a 1-hour cycling tour through the beautiful rice fields and the villages. You can witness the daily life of local people and interact with them. Mr. Chau is your next host, who will welcome you with fresh mint lemon juice, with all ingredients freshly picked from his own garden. After, you can enjoy a traditional foot soak in warm water with herbs, following the traditional recipes of the Muong ethnic minority. This will relay you (and your feet!) after cycling around the village.

Your afternoon will end with a boat trip down the Da River on which you can enjoy the breathtaking landscapes and explore the local life along the riverside.

Time to bid farewell to your host family and drive back to the Hanoi center. End your tour at your hotel around 18:30.

Overnight in Ha Noi.

(Schedule can be changed without any notice based on the availability of cruise)

09:00 – 09:30: Your transfer vehicle will collect you from your hotel in Hanoi and convey you to Hai Phong around 11h30.

12:00: You will be taken on our tender from the wharf and make your way out onto the bay to board our luxurious craft, Era Cruise. You will be welcome aboard and greeted with a complimentary drink. Our Crew will conduct a compulsory safety procedures session and then you are free to check into your cabin and freshen up. Take some time to have a look around the vessel or watch the magical landscape go by.

13:15: A special lunch of fresh seafood and an assortment of appetizing favorites will be served. Dining on a luxury junk with fine food and drinks doesn't come much better than this. We set sail for Lan Ha Bay passing to Da Chong islet where you can see a lighthouse built by the French over 100 years ago.

15:00: When lunch is about to finish, it is just nice that the Cruise completes its entry through the Cua Van area to Lan Ha Bay (as part of Halong Bay). The area is surrounded by a lot of extraordinary limestone karst landscapes. Guests can start their journey to explore Ba Trai Dao beach or Tra Bau area, doing the kayak to immersed in the crystal clear waters of the bay and/or enjoy swimming.

17:00: Back to the main boat, and cruising to a place for staying overnight

17:30 – 18:30: Happy hour with a special drink menu (Buy one get another one for free).

18:00: Our Vietnamese cooking demonstration is a great way to learn how to prepare delicious appetizers and we will guide you through the process.

19:15: Relish a special Signature Dinner in the restaurant.

20:45 - 12:00: Your free time to relax with an exotic cocktail or whatever takes your fancy. Our bar has a wide range of wines, beers, and liquors and is always a welcome sight for guests after a day on Bay. Order a Spa service or take any activities on a boat cruise such as watching documentary movies, squid fishing, or simply relaxing on our rooftop deck under the cover of a star filled sky.

Overnight on board.

06:30: Early birds are welcome to attend sunrise Tai Chi on our upper deck and it's an excellent way to get your energy levels up for today's adventures. You will be fascinated by the exquisiteness in the early hours as you enjoy a coffee or tea.

08:00: Enjoy a buffet breakfast with the best local coffee brand and freshly fruit juices.

09:00: Next we board our Era Day Boat to head to Viet Hai Village. You will take the bicycle trip along the village path and go through rainforests and dark tunnels. Enjoy stunning scenery of rice fields on the way. Stop at the village to relax. Visit an ancient local house, made from straw, mud, and bamboo…you will have a chance to see the local life in a valley of local people. Optional electric car service is available (without any surcharge).

12:00: Have lunch with a Signature set menu on our day boat.

13:45: Free kayaking and swimming at Ba Ham Lake area situated in the middle of a narrow, rectangular area, with all four sides enclosed by vertical cliffs. (if the weather permit)

16:00: Back on board Era Cruise, take some time to freshen up, take a nap or just relax at your leisure as we cruise to our overnight area. Witness one of the most brilliant sunsets you will ever see.

17:30 - 18:30: Bar opens for Happy Hour "Buy one get one free".

18:00: Enjoy a cooking demonstration to discover our Vietnamese cuisine of traditional spring rolls.

19:15: A special dinner will be served offering you outstanding food and quality service.

20:45 This evening is yours to enjoy whatever you please. Tonight we will hold a movie night with a selection of films available. We also have a selection of board games for your entertainment. Our bar is always open and is an ideal place to meet new people and share stories about your adventures.

Overnight on board.

06:30: The nicest time of the day on Lan Ha Bay is the morning. Head to the upper deck to participate in our daily Tai Chi sessions. Relax with an early morning cup of tea, coffee, or juice anywhere you wish on the boat and watch the never-ending miraculous scenery unfold before you.

07:00: Light breakfast will be served in our restaurant (pastries, tea, coffee)

7:30 - 9:15: Enjoy the last stage of your trip to Dark & Bright cave and islets by local rowing boats which is a wild and mysterious beauty in the middle of the World Heritage. Back to our main board afterward.

09:30: Check out of your cabin as we draw closer to the mainland. After a final early brunch and a last goodbye from our crew at 11:30, you will board our tender and head back to the wharf where you will be met by your return trip vehicle to transfer you to Hanoi.

12:10-12:30: Get in the car and we transfer back to the hotel to take luggage.

You have time to wait in the hotel lobby or go out to buy souvenirs before your tour guide comes and takes you to the airport.

We come to the next destination – Hoi An – the lantern town.

Your guide will meet you at the airport and help you to get check-in at the hotel.

Enjoy a hearty breakfast at the hotel and get ready for a lantern-making lesson. Lanterns are the symbol of Hoi An and a big part of the local culture; you will have the opportunity to learn how to make them. Your guide will meet you at the hotel at 8 am and you will cycle through the town to the craftsman's home. You will be given an introduction about the lanterns and how they became the symbol of Hoi An, along with a demonstration of making a lantern. You will have an opportunity to create your own lantern and keep it as a souvenir.

After the lesson you will have time to explore Hoi An at your own peace, seeing what interest you.

Overnight in Hoi An.

Have free time before transferring to the airport to take the flight to Ho Chi Minh City This city has amazing bustling streets, fantastic restaurants, and thriving trees making it perfect for days of sightseeing, afternoon shopping, and evening interaction enjoying a sunset drink at a rooftop bar or on a cruise over Saigon River.

Leisure time discover this bustling city.

Accommodate at the hotel.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh city.

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel.

At 8.00 we take the morning trip to visit Independence Palace, also known as the Reunification Palace, which was built on the sight of the former Norodom palace. The Independence palace is a widely known landmark of Ho Chi Minh City and was designed by the architect Ngo Viet Thu. Continue seeing the beautiful structures from the French Colonial times such as the Notre Dame Cathedral, and the historic Central Post Office. Followed the remarkable site of the War Remnants Museum the museum has a vast display of both the Indochina wars. As having time, we can visit the Fine Arts Museum which is recognized as a first-class national museum by Vietnam’s Ministry of Culture.

Finish the tour, and the tour guide see off you at the hotel.

Leisure time in the afternoon.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh city.

Breakfast at the hotel.

We start the tour at 8.00, a smooth one-and-half-hour bus ride through rice field scenery along National Highway 1 brings you to the beautiful rural district of Trung Luong.

On arrival at My Tho, after visiting Vinh Trang pagoda, take a motor boat to enter My Tho city through Bao Dinh natural canal. Take a leisurely cruise on the Tien River to view the four beautiful islands known as Dragon, Unicorn, Phoenix, and Tortoise islands.

Enjoy lunch at the local restaurant, then visit the coconut candy mill and take an amazing rowing boat trip along the small canal on a hand-rowed sampan under the shadow of the water coconut trees along natural canals. Then enjoy seasonal fruit & honey tea to the sound of "Southern Vietnamese folk music", performed by locals.

Meet at the bus and return to Ho Chi Minh City. This trip provides a fascinating insight into daily life in the Mekong Delta and you are guaranteed to take home your own private collection of beautiful memories.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh city.

Relish a healthy breakfast on the final day of your trip. Complete the hotel check-out formalities after which you can visit the local markets and buy souvenirs for your loved ones. Later, proceed for departure and board your flight back home.

Trip Ends.